MyGlass and GlasswareGoogle Glass gains a lot more functionality when paired with the MyGlass app. For instance, MyGlass allows you to add contacts to Glass. You can add up to 10 contacts, and they'll be available as an option whenever you make a call or send a message through Glass.

You can also start a screencast, which lets others see what you're seeing through Glass. If your device is already connected, a screencast will begin as soon as you select it from the app. You can also control Glass from within a screencast by swiping on the screen as you would on the Glass touchpad.

In addition, MyGlass is your gateway to getting Glassware, which is basically a Google Glass app. You can get email alerts using Gmail Glassware, for instance, or breaking news alerts from The New York Times. Facebook and Twitter Glassware allow you to upload photos and videos to Facebook or follow someone's tweets on Twitter. Games Glassware makes use of Glass' motion sensors, and IFTTT allows you to create recipes that trigger automatic notifications from more than 70 products and services directly to Glass.

Probably the most useful Glassware currently available is Google Now, which delivers context-based information directly to Glass. It uses and stores your location information for directions and traffic alerts. It also uses Gmail, synced calendars, and Google data to bring you reminders and other suggestions. Receiving that information on the fly, right in your face, is one of the few advantages Glass has to simply using the app on your phone instead.

Future PossibilitiesWhere Google Glass gets interesting is in the hands of developers; that's where you'll find most of the real innovation is taking place.

Some of this innovation is just for fun. Going to the movies but don't know what you're going to see? You can download Preview, which uses image recognition to identify a movie poster, then plays back a trailer for that film. That's the sort of smart, simple app Glass was made for.

Other apps have the ability to be potentially life-changing. A few months ago Google highlighted a story about Patrick Jordan, a firefighter and developer in North Carolina. He's working on a Glass app that could provide instant information like floor plans and nearby hydrants to firefighters, which could literally save lives. Apps like these are what make Google Glass exciting, though they still don't necessarily make it a must-have for the average consumer.

One thing to keep in mind is that most of these apps weren't developed by Google; you'll need to search outside of Google to find and download them. Glass doesn't yet have an app store akin to Google Play, so installing apps requires some legwork and technical knowhow on your end.

ConclusionsGoogle Glass has tons of potential, and typically you can't put a price on that. But Google has, and it's high enough to put Glass out of reach for most prospective buyers. On top of that, Google Glass doesn't yet provide an experience that justifies its exorbitant price tag. For most of the functions it currently performs, I actually find it easier to just look on my phone, which can deliver much more information than a few lines of text at a time.

There are plenty of Google Glass competitors popping up on various crowdfunding sites. While most of them are significantly less expensive than Google Glass, none of them offer quite the same range of possibility. Ultimately, that's what makes Google Glass special. And while it doesn't justify Google's sky-high price tag, it explains why so many people have signed up to become Explorers so far.

Should you buy the Google Glass Explorer Edition if you get the chance? Probably not, unless you're a die-hard enthusiast with money to burn or an inspired developer with a great idea looking to test some code as quickly as possible. Everyone else should probably wait for the consumer version—which, with the right price and app selection, could be a landmark product. As for now, Google might be calling this Glass Version 2.0, but it's really still in beta.

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Alex Colon is the managing editor of PCMag's consumer electronics team. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in English Writing and Literature from Pace University and got his start editing books before deciding technology would probably be a lot more fun.
Though he does the majority of his reading and writing on various digital displays, Alex still loves to sit down and read a good, old-fashioned, paper and ink book in his free time. (Not that there's anything wrong with ebook readers.)
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